"We were in the Schaumburg softball tourney," quipped Fire Chief Kevin Miller. "So we said you've got to graduate on the 15th because we need you on the 16th."

The village conducted a swearing-in ceremony for the firefighter, whose family has long roots in the community. Don Kmiecik headed up the village's parks and recreation department for many years. Kellen's mother, Diane, served as a trustee on the Elmwood Park Village Board.

Family members and others applauded loudly after he was sworn in.

"You're on the other side of the Circle now," Don Kmiecik told his son, referring to the Circle drive that includes village hall, the village's recreation center and library.

The Elmwood Park Fire Department hired Kmiecik on July 6. In addition to attending the fire academy, Kellen also completed his fire apparatus engineer classes in the Arlington Heights Fire Department, said Miller. There, firefighters learn about such things as how to pump at a fire and how to calculate the friction loss in a hose if you're fighting a fire from the ninth floor, Miller said.

Along with his fire apparatus training, he is already a paramedic and will lend expertise as a CPR instructor, Miller said. He ranked No. 1 on the test administered to roughly 100 firefighter candidates, Miller said.

"He's a great addition to the department," he said

And definitely an asset to the department softball team. Kmiecik played semiprofessional ball, competing against future major leaguers on the way up.

"I was all over the place," he said. "I was here, the U.S. I was in Germany, Australia, the Czech Republic, Sweden."

"It was a journey to get here," said Kmiecik. "I'm glad I'm here. There have been open arms for everything. ... It's been great."